Lewis cleared to hit, but not in lineup

Outfielder injured elbow last week in at-bat against Rays

By Larry Millson / Special to MLB.com

TORONTO -- Fred Lewis was not in the Blue Jays' starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rangers, missing his fourth straight game.

But manager Cito Gaston said before Tuesday's game that the outfielder's hyperextended right elbow was sound and that he could play. Lewis has been available only to pinch-run, but he has not been used in that role.

Now he is available to hit as well.

"He's ready to go. He said he's OK right now," Gaston said. "He can play any time I put him back in the lineup."

Lewis injured the elbow on Sept. 1 during a sixth-inning at-bat at Tampa Bay, where he fouled off six pitches against David Price in a nine-pitch at-bat. He eventually struck out, but couldn't continue in the game because of the elbow.

Travis Snider was again in left field Tuesday, where he had sharing time with Lewis. DeWayne Wise, who entered the game 8-for-16 in his past four starts, was given the start in right field.

Lewis is batting .262 with eight homers and 36 RBIs.

Buck awarded home run after review

TORONTO -- The Blue Jays' John Buck hit his 17th homer of the season in the second inning Tuesday night against the Rangers, but first he had to stop at second base.

The ball bounced back onto the field and was initially ruled a double. Toronto manager Cito Gaston came out to ask for a review by the umpiring crew led by Tom Hallion. The review showed that it was a home run, making Buck one shy of his career high, which came three years ago for the Royals.

The replay showed that Buck's drive hit the railing behind the right-field fence in the visitors' bullpen area.

The homer -- the first of four on the night -- given up by Scott Feldman gave the Blue Jays an early lead in Toronto's 8-5 win over Texas.

Rzepczynski ready to get back to work

TORONTO -- Blue Jays left-hander Marc Rzepczynski is scheduled to pitch Wednesday night against the Rangers on three days' rest. It will be the first time in his career that he has started on short rest.

"When they shut Brandon [Morrow] down, we needed someone to fill in," Rzepczynski said. "I only threw 73 pitches [Saturday], and I'm nowhere near any mark that I should be, so they're just trying to get me out there as quick as I can so I can work on the stuff that I need to, instead of just throwing a bullpen every other day."

Rzepczynski allowed five runs in four innings in his no-decision Saturday against the Yankees. One of the things he has been working on is getting the ball out of his glove quicker during his delivery.

"I feel good, and I'm looking forward to getting back out there," he said. "For me, it's changing the routine, backing off some stuff, backing off the lifting a little bit. And my bullpen, I just threw less than normal.

"By the fourth day, you usually feel pretty good anyway. It's just a good opportunity to get out there one day earlier."

Rzepczynski is 1-3 with a 6.62 ERA in nine games with Toronto, seven of them starts. His best outing was a seven-inning two-hitter on Aug. 13 against the Angels.

Hill has two reasons to look forward to start

TORONTO -- Blue Jays right-hander Shawn Hill is set to make his first Major League start since April 2009 on Thursday at Rogers Centre.

It's a big deal for a couple of reasons. He is coming back from his second Tommy John surgery. And he is coming home to pitch for the Blue Jays. He is from Mississauga, Ontario.

"It's special, you know, aside from being in Toronto, which is a whole separate issue," Hill said before Tuesday's game against the Rangers. "I just came back from my second Tommy John. It's been a rough couple of years, just battling all the injuries.

"It's definitely special in that sense, and then, obviously, coming home and getting to pitch in front of friends and family, and getting to stay at my parents' house while I'm here, it's kind of nice."

Hill, 29, pitched for the Expos in the past and had his first Major League win against the Blue Jays on July 4, 2004, when the teams played a series in Puerto Rico.

His elbow problems began later that season, and he had his first Tommy John surgery on Sept. 16, 2004. He missed 2005 when he had a setback, then pitched parts of the next three seasons with the Nationals.

His second Tommy John surgery was performed on June 24, 2009, after he had been limited to three starts with the Padres in April. It turned out the calcification that takes place had grown inside out, and a peanut-sized piece of bone was removed.

"That's why I probably had so many problems," he said. "The ligament attached, but instead of being able to stretch a little bit like it's supposed to, it was basically locked up."

In 11 Minor League starts at various levels this season, he was 6-2 with a 1.61 ERA. He pitched a two-hitter in six scoreless innings Saturday for Triple-A Las Vegas and said the movement on his fastball in that game was the best it has been this year.

Larry Millson is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.